How to Make Coffee at Home: AeroPress

Background

The AeroPress was invented in 1984 by Alan Adler, a renowned inventor and retired Stanford University engineering instructor in California. The AeroPress brews in just a couple of minutes which allows for lower acidity and less bitterness. The micro-filters used in this process also give you a cleaner brew with more clarity of flavor than other methods like the French press. Like the French press, the AeroPress is a convenient way to brew a quality cup of coffee on outdoor adventures (and with no glass)!

What You’ll Need

• 18 grams (or 2 level tablespoons) of whole bean coffee
• Quality water
• Hot water kettle (we used this one)
• Gram scale (for best results) or tablespoon
• Grinder (burr grinder for best results)
• Stirring stick
• AeroPress with micro-filters

Steps

1. Get your water going, you want it at about 180-200F
2. Weigh out 18g (2 level tablespoon)s of whole bean coffee, and grind to medium fine or until it's the size of table salt
3. Place the AeroPress paper filter disc inside of the filter cap and rinse the filter with hot water to pre-wet and remove any paper dust
4. Screw filter cap onto brewing chamber
5. Put coffee grounds in the brewing chamber, and place the device onto the mug you will be extracting into
6. Add 36 grams hot water (twice coffee weight) and agitate in the North, South, East and West directions (allow to bloom up to 30 seconds)
7. Add water to the 4 mark, and place plunger so it just sits above the crema (reddish-brown froth that rests on top) to create a vacuum seal and prevent dripping
8. Wait for 40 to 60 seconds and then slowly push down (taking about 25 seconds to reach the top of the grounds)

Even though this is a full immersion method, lighter coffees can still be extracted well (this is because the use of pressure allows for a smaller grind size and more surface area to be used without choking or stalling)